The literature on skill-biased technical change has mainly attempted to quantify the extent of skill upgrading due to technological change, disregarding the issue of how such skill upgrading takes place. This paper focuses on the process itself of skill upgrading linking it to the process of technical change using input / output and census data relative to the UK during the 1980s. In the 1960s two hypotheses contended the ground. On the one hand, Nelson and Phelps (1965) argued skill upgrading in the employment structure, mainly due to education change, be a pre-requisite and a cause of technical change. On the other hand, Griliches (1969) suggested that the contrary might be true. To explore the issue, individual and pooled regressions are estimated using technical change as dependent variable and various types of occupational and skill changes as regressors. The findings suggest prompt skill upgrading, mainly obtained through occupational change, happened in the early stages of ICT diffusion and cumulated skill upgrading, obtained eventually through the employment of high skill workers, happened only in late stages of ICT diffusion. This is evidence in favour of the hypothesis that skill upgrading be the consequence, rather than the cause of ICT growth.
“How does Skill Change with Technological Change? The UK Experience over the 1980s”
PASTORE, Francesco;
2002
Abstract
The literature on skill-biased technical change has mainly attempted to quantify the extent of skill upgrading due to technological change, disregarding the issue of how such skill upgrading takes place. This paper focuses on the process itself of skill upgrading linking it to the process of technical change using input / output and census data relative to the UK during the 1980s. In the 1960s two hypotheses contended the ground. On the one hand, Nelson and Phelps (1965) argued skill upgrading in the employment structure, mainly due to education change, be a pre-requisite and a cause of technical change. On the other hand, Griliches (1969) suggested that the contrary might be true. To explore the issue, individual and pooled regressions are estimated using technical change as dependent variable and various types of occupational and skill changes as regressors. The findings suggest prompt skill upgrading, mainly obtained through occupational change, happened in the early stages of ICT diffusion and cumulated skill upgrading, obtained eventually through the employment of high skill workers, happened only in late stages of ICT diffusion. This is evidence in favour of the hypothesis that skill upgrading be the consequence, rather than the cause of ICT growth.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
